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Topic: To share or not ... that is the question (Read 68181 times)

It's considered offensive because it implies that Chinese is incomprehensible gibberish.

So what about phrases like "it's all Greek to me"?

The 'racism' thing seems kind of tenuous to me - it feels like both phrases basically suggest "it's very different from my language and I don't understand it" not "that language is inherently inferior to mine."

It's considered offensive because it implies that Chinese is incomprehensible gibberish.

So what about phrases like "it's all Greek to me"?

We had this debate on here a few years ago too. The two things I'll say are:

(a) I never said "it's Greek to me" is wonderful, or anything about it at all; maybe we shouldn't say that either.

(b) As a possible mitigating factor, though, "it's Greek to me" is usually used IME to mean that something is too smart for you to understand rather than that it's just gibberish; I've usually seen it used when people are intimidated by the level of discourse and so it's saying something rather different about Greek. It seems to be hearkening back to the idea Greek as a language only intellectuals spoke.

As a Uk ehellion, I used the term Chinese Whispers on here. Nothing offensive meant, and I was surprised at the number of posters who leapt on the racist connotations. I feel it's just a figure of speech, nothing more and nothing less.

Cuddle, you're doing great from where I'm standing! Xxx

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Knowledge is knowing tomato is a fruit.Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

It's considered offensive because it implies that Chinese is incomprehensible gibberish.

So what about phrases like "it's all Greek to me"?

We had this debate on here a few years ago too. The two things I'll say are:

(a) I never said "it's Greek to me" is wonderful, or anything about it at all; maybe we shouldn't say that either.

(b) As a possible mitigating factor, though, "it's Greek to me" is usually used IME to mean that something is too smart for you to understand rather than that it's just gibberish; I've usually seen it used when people are intimidated by the level of discourse and so it's saying something rather different about Greek. It seems to be hearkening back to the idea Greek as a language only intellectuals spoke.

Possible factor (c) in the US at least, would be the truly horrible racist cartoons and other media that used to claim Chinese people to be untrustworthy - which is kind of the point of the telephone game. The "it's Greek to me" phrase doesn't connote deceit.

Lodger has left. Quietly ... well sort of ... I had to give her a further nudge on Monday.

On Friday morning I told Lodger that someone (this is a fictional someone following advice I was given) was moving into the room on Monday night. Lodger opened her mouth to say something, but didn't and went to her room, leaving the house about an hour later. She did not return - not Friday, not Saturday nor Sunday. As far she Lodger knew, the moving out deadline was Sunday night. (Following advice, the deadline before I would physically stop her entering the house was 6pm on Monday but I did not advise Lodger of the leeway). I waited at home each and every minute of the weekend, believe me it was a very l o n g weekend, even though I had friends over for support most of the time.

When she had not returned by Monday 10am I phoned her. She did not answer and did not return my call, so at 2pm I sent her a text reiterating the message I left in the morning saying that all her belongings must be removed by 6pm or I would pack them up and deliver them to safe place XYZ for her to collect. I also organised for the front door lock to be changed, since I had not heard a word from Lodger for over 3 days.

At 5.30pm Lodger with her uncle arrive. While Lodger is literally throwing her stuff together, uncle and I chat. Apparently I am a bad person for only giving Lodger a few days notice and how he had to drive her around Saturday and Sunday so she could look at rooms. 'The bad me' took delight in showing him the notice that Lodger had signed a little over 2 weeks ago and it was hard not to miss the look he threw Lodger's way.

So, a little after 6pm on Monday, when Lodger had gone, my handy and supportive friend and I changed the lock on front door.

Lodger has left. Quietly ... well sort of ... I had to give her a further nudge on Monday.

On Friday morning I told Lodger that someone (this is a fictional someone following advice I was given) was moving into the room on Monday night. Lodger opened her mouth to say something, but didn't and went to her room, leaving the house about an hour later. She did not return - not Friday, not Saturday nor Sunday. As far she Lodger knew, the moving out deadline was Sunday night. (Following advice, the deadline before I would physically stop her entering the house was 6pm on Monday but I did not advise Lodger of the leeway). I waited at home each and every minute of the weekend, believe me it was a very l o n g weekend, even though I had friends over for support most of the time.

When she had not returned by Monday 10am I phoned her. She did not answer and did not return my call, so at 2pm I sent her a text reiterating the message I left in the morning saying that all her belongings must be removed by 6pm or I would pack them up and deliver them to safe place XYZ for her to collect. I also organised for the front door lock to be changed, since I had not heard a word from Lodger for over 3 days.

At 5.30pm Lodger with her uncle arrive. While Lodger is literally throwing her stuff together, uncle and I chat. Apparently I am a bad person for only giving Lodger a few days notice and how he had to drive her around Saturday and Sunday so she could look at rooms. 'The bad me' took delight in showing him the notice that Lodger had signed a little over 2 weeks ago and it was hard not to miss the look he threw Lodger's way.

So, a little after 6pm on Monday, when Lodger had gone, my handy and supportive friend and I changed the lock on front door.

Lodger has left. Quietly ... well sort of ... I had to give her a further nudge on Monday.

On Friday morning I told Lodger that someone (this is a fictional someone following advice I was given) was moving into the room on Monday night. Lodger opened her mouth to say something, but didn't and went to her room, leaving the house about an hour later. She did not return - not Friday, not Saturday nor Sunday. As far she Lodger knew, the moving out deadline was Sunday night. (Following advice, the deadline before I would physically stop her entering the house was 6pm on Monday but I did not advise Lodger of the leeway). I waited at home each and every minute of the weekend, believe me it was a very l o n g weekend, even though I had friends over for support most of the time.

When she had not returned by Monday 10am I phoned her. She did not answer and did not return my call, so at 2pm I sent her a text reiterating the message I left in the morning saying that all her belongings must be removed by 6pm or I would pack them up and deliver them to safe place XYZ for her to collect. I also organised for the front door lock to be changed, since I had not heard a word from Lodger for over 3 days.

At 5.30pm Lodger with her uncle arrive. While Lodger is literally throwing her stuff together, uncle and I chat. Apparently I am a bad person for only giving Lodger a few days notice and how he had to drive her around Saturday and Sunday so she could look at rooms. 'The bad me' took delight in showing him the notice that Lodger had signed a little over 2 weeks ago and it was hard not to miss the look he threw Lodger's way.

So, a little after 6pm on Monday, when Lodger had gone, my handy and supportive friend and I changed the lock on front door.

BUSTED!

Good to hear she's gone, Cuddlepie.

Haha busted is right! I really marvel at people who tell lies that are so easily shown up.

OP here: It was by chance that I spoke with the uncle. He blocked the driveway when he parked and as my neighbour behind always goes out between 5.30 and 6.30 to buy his tea, I popped out to ask uncle who was waiting in the car to move to another spot. We started chatting which led to me getting a lecture about how badly I treated Lodger. I don't think Lodger meant to get me (or herself) into trouble ... I suspect she told uncle the *furphy so he would feel sorry for her, drive her about to look at accommodation, rather than being told that she brought her predicament upon herself. My thoughts on the situation.

Excellent update. I'm sorry you had to wait around all weekend. Sometimes, even when you know YOU are in the right (legally or otherwise), the other party just doesn't care (as evidenced by the many MANY tales on this site). Good for you having her acknowledgment in writing as, because of her own sorry lie, this will likely bite her in the behind where her family is concerned and, best of all, she's no longer YOUR problem.